Community Environment Police & Fire
Firefighters have stalled progress of blaze on Olympic Peninsula
Firefighters appear to have a handle on the wildfire that ignited on the Olympic Peninsula last week, as cooler temperatures and light rainfall have aided the hundreds of personnel battling the blaze five miles west of Brinnon.
The 2620 Road Fire, which ignited near Mt. Jupiter on Aug. 14, has remained at approximately 398 acres since Monday, according to a series of updates from the Western Washington Incident Management Team.
The fire was reported as covering 445 acres on Aug. 16, but that was lowered to 317 the following day due to improved mapping accuracy, the management team said. As of Wednesday, 373 people have been assigned to the fire, which is 8% contained.
12 large fires in state
The Type 3 Incident Management Team, who relieved local fire authorities, said in a statement Wednesday that firefighters have made progress in line advancements and began mop-up efforts in some areas. That should lead to an increase in containment over the following days, they said.
Amid the progress, Jefferson County Emergency Management has downgraded the evacuation status for residents of Duckabush Road to a level 1.
The 2620 Road Fire is one of 12 large wildfires active in Washington, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. Most are located east of the Cascades. The Kitsap Peninsula and Puget Sound region are not projected to see air quality impacts.
The fire is burning in an area that was recently logged, making it difficult to extinguish. Steep terrain and limited road access add to the challenges. A temporary flight restriction remains in place as crews continue working on the fire.
Lightning sparks smaller fires
The cause of the blaze remains unknown. But lightning over the weekend ignited a trio of much smaller fires on the Olympic Peninsula, the U.S. The Forest Service said in a news release Thursday.
Two fires broke out in the Buckhorn Wilderness area, while a third ignited near Lake Cushman. All three were reported as one-tenth of an acre. One in the Buckhorn area has been fully contained.
Despite recent rainfall, much of the peninsula remains in a drought and fire fuel remains dry, the forest service said. A burn ban remains in effect across Washington.
“In spite of the current rainfall, the weather is forecast to return to hotter, dryer conditions,” Jeff Neil, Assistant Interagency Fire Management Officer, said in a news release. “The potential still exists for abandoned campfires or discarded charcoal to start a wildfire so [we] ask the public to adhere to the campfire ban.”
Conor Wilson is a Murrow News fellow, reporting for Gig Harbor Now and the Bremerton-based newspaper Kitsap Sun, through a program managed by Washington State University.